Holiday rentals and lettings in Millport

Plan your island escape to Scotland and find a beautiful holiday rental near the beach. Spend a week or two or the whole summer in Millport, a quiet location with nice restaurants and cafés! You will fall in love with this coastal town. Find exclusive holiday lettings near the beach and the town centre, close to lovely walks and tracks that go from easy to more demanding ones.

Surrounded by nature, you can enjoy fantastic holiday lettings with private garden and patios, which is ideal if you are travelling with your pets. Enjoy your stay as a family in rentals that accommodate up to 4 people or have a romantic getaway with lovely lettings for two. Select a property that is just a few steps away from the beach, so you can enjoy long walks or wait for the sun to set down on the horizon. Enjoy the green backdrop of leafy forests and the wonderful sea views.

Millport is the only town on the island of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde off the North Ayrshire coast. The town is just 4 miles of the ferry terminal that links it to the Scottish mainland. The town draws many visitors throughout the year and tourism is an important part of the economy of the area. This quirky seaside town is home to the Cathedral of the Isles, the smallest cathedral in Britain that can seat just 100 people. Another curious fact in town is that you will spot the narrowest house in town called the “Wedge”. Stroll around the streets of Millport and notice the names of the streets, which bear the name of the Royal George crew members. You can see the Garrison House, which was the captain’s mansion, now a community hall with a museum, a railway club and the Garrison Café.

Getting to Millport is fast and easy. As they advertise themselves, “No delays, no passport, no language barriers”. Millport is within easy reach by ferry from Largs or about an hour sailing from Glasgow. Once you get here, the Victorian and Edwardian facades will captivate your attention. Most locals move around Millport on a bike. Easy, fast and reliable. And don’t worry, if you need a quick fix, there are 3 bike shops in town! Long and pleasant walks are also a great way to see Millport and the outskirts.

Millport lies on a privileged location surrounded by the sea. Those who enjoy sea activities and the beach, will love Millport. Newton beach is a small sandy beach in the sheltered Millport Bay. On a summer day you can enjoy a nice stroll along the beach, get a delicious ice cream, take a refreshing dip into the blue waters, practise some windsurfing and watching the incredible sunsets over the Isles. Fly fishing is also a popular activity you can enjoy at the local reservoir or you can have a go at fishing mackerel from the rocks at Farland Point.

As we have mentioned above, the Isle of Cumbrae offers excellent possibilities to enjoy and getting some action on the water! Millport is unbelievably popular for the myriad of sports you can try. Practice your balance on the board with Stand Up Paddleboarding, make a fun trip along the coast going sea kayaking, explore what is under the water with the snorkel and the goggles or enjoy a pleasant day sailing away. The incredible beachfront lined with palm trees will make you feel like you are on a tropical island!

If you start walking from Millport it takes about 40 minutes to reach an incredible 360-degree panoramic view of the island from Gladstone viewpoint. This excellent location is part of the Inner Circle Walk, and it lies at the very top of the island, at 417 feet above the sea level. You can get stunning views across the River Clyde and the neighbouring Clyde islands of Wee Cumbrae, Arran, Bute, and the mainland coast of North Ayrshire. Take in the views and do not forget your camera!

A visit to Millport will give you the chance to see a collection or quirky rock formations dotting the island that have become icons of Cumbrae. Nowadays, they are considered as landmarks, and they will catch your eye. They are easy to spot if you go out for a walk or cycling. Explore the area and find the lion rock on the East side of the island, the crocodile rock on the beach in Millport or the Indian Rock tucked away in the trees on the west side.

The Sensory Trail is a 10-mile route that takes you around Cumbrae. As you walk along you will see sandy bays and beaches, the rugged coastline, breathtaking scenery and lots of wildlife. There are a total of five green Sensory Point Markers on the Trail located at Farland Point, Ballochmartin Bay, White Bay, Fintry Bay, and Sheriff’s Port. As you reach the sensory point, thanks to the audio guide you can use your taste, smell, hearing, touch and sight to experience certain aspects of the island. You can cycle, walk or drive around the Trail. The markers are clearly located near the road, apart from the Farland one that requires a short walk. Every time you stop at one of the Sensory Point Markers look out for the ball at the top, touch it and take the special gift of luck from the Islanders. And remember, for that to happen you need to touch all five!

Fancy a G&T after a whole day of visiting, walking or swimming? The Isle of Cumbrae Distillers is a distillery started by 5 international women who thought of creating the first distillery on the island They launched the business in 2019, and they created “Nostalgin”, their flagship gin. The gin has nuances of lavender, bramble and sweet orange, embodying the heritage of both Millport and Scotland.

Which way do you have to go if you decide to cycle around the island? That is the question. Locals and especially Scott from the rental bike shop Mapes, generally recommend you going anti-clockwise, starting from the Cumbrae ferry slip and avoiding all the traffic that goes to town. More or less, halfway around, you will find the Fintry Café where you can stop for a while and enjoy a refreshing ice cream or a nice drink before heading to Millport town. The choices you have for renting include tricycles, tandems, quadricycles, tagalongs, kiddie cabs, baby carriers, and electric scooters. Mountain bikes are also available at On Your Bike shop.